Gold Lace
by DragonRiver
Summary: Diana Chang is just a girl...until she's Marked, then turned by Nyx, the dying vampyre goddess, into a golden fledgling with a Spirit affinity. As she tries to juggle a new social life, her weird Mark, her affinity, her crazy hair, and found powers, she must ally to save Nyx, vampyres and fledglings, and the world as she knows it.
1. Chapter 1: Blessed

My name was Diana Chang. I lived in a small town called Crastel in a small, two-story house. I went to Crastel High. My life was normal. I was an A student. I stayed late after school every day because I helped the teachers and tutored students after school. In fact, it was staying late after school one day that I was Marked.

I was going outside to drive home when I saw the Tracker. I was just outside school, alone, glancing around the parking lot, desperately trying to remember where I had parked that morning, when I saw the tall man with a blue crescent moon on his forehead. He was looking straight at me.

I walked towards the car, having spotted it, desperately hoping he would leave me alone and was here for someone else. Of course he wasn't, only the person about to be Marked could see the Tracker. It seemed like I blinked and he was in front of me. I gasped and backed away.

His deep voice resonated between us. "Diana Chang! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!"

The Tracker pointed at my forehead, and my mind felt like it was exploding in pain. I cried out, closing my eyes against the brightness of the sun as I clutched at my head. When I opened my eyes the Tracker was gone.

I exhaled, sliding into the driver's side. I glanced in the rearview mirror, looked away, and did a double take. I had a blue crescent moon outline on my forehead.

I froze. My fingers traced the mark. I choked as I began driving home, unable to keep my eyes away from the mirror for long.

"Mom!" I yelled the second I got home. "Mom, you will not BELIEVE what happened!"

"In the kitchen, honey. Come on in. What's wrong, Di?"

I ran into the kitchen. Mom turned to me with a big smile on her face, and I watched it slide right off as she gawked at the mark on my forehead. "Di, honey. What happened?"

"I was Marked," I said unnecessarily.

"I guess we'll need to drive you to the House of Night," Mom mused. "I guess we should go as soon as possible. Go and pack your bags, Di," she said, continuing to talk to herself.

I ran upstairs, grabbing my duffel bag and throwing my clothes in. I stared at myself in the mirror, tracing the mark on my forehead. Suddenly I was falling backwards.

I woke up in a small room with the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. It was impossible to describe her: I just know she practically glowed with an otherworldly magnificence.

"Merry meet, Diana Chang," she said calmly. "It's nice to meet you."

"Hi," I said, not nearly as nonchalant as she. "I'm sorry…but who are you?"

The woman smiled. "It is not who I am that matters. You shall know soon. I bless you, though, my lovely girl. Diana Chang, you are seventeen years old?" I nodded that she was right. "I gift you, my dear. Do not panic. You are powerful."

The woman touched a hand to my forehead and I felt peace and calm and power radiate through my body, spreading from the spot where her hand pressed.

"Ivory Labastria, I bless you with Spirit and my eternal love."

I woke up with a start. I was lying on a bed in a room I didn't recognize. I sat up, looking around in a panic.

Mom was talking to a beautiful Indian woman. The woman seemed to somehow know that I had woken up, because she turned and smiled brightly at me.

"Merry meet, Diana Chang," she said. (Why did everybody keep saying that to me?) "Merry meet. You have been Marked as a vampyre fledgling."

"Oh," was all I could think to say. "Who are you?"

The woman laughed. "My name is Egypt Bird. I teach art, but I have a healing affinity. I believe that you are a very special fledgling, and I'm not just saying that. Would you like me to be your mentor?"

"Mentor?" I asked, wondering what she was talking about.

"At the House of Night, you have a mentor and he or she will be an advisor to you, and a sort of parent figure while you are here. Once a month your family or friends can visit you."

"Oh," I said, lacking anything else to say. "I'd like that, Miss Bird, if you don't mind."

"Call me Egypt," said Egypt. "And I would love that. As I said, I believe you are a very special fledgling. I think Nyx has gifted you. At the House of Night, you are reborn as a different person. What do you choose as your name in your new life?"

I remembered the beautiful woman I had seen when I was unconscious. 'Nyx,' I said to myself. 'That must have been Nyx. Who is Nyx?' I decided she must be important, and tried to remember what she had called me.

"I am Ivory Labastria," I said.

Egypt smiled at me kindly. "Merry meet, Ivory Labastria. I should take you to meet your new roommate now. Your stuff is already there. I will meet you outside once you have said good bye."

"Bye, Mom," I said, enveloping her in a hug. "Love you."

"Love you too, Di. I'll come with your father on the first visiting day. Have an amazing time. Your mark is amazing, by the way," Mom said, kissing me on the head and leaving before I could ask her what she was talking about.

Egypt was waiting outside the door. She handed me a heavy hand mirror, and I gaped at my reflection. I suddenly understood why she thought Nyx had gifted me. My mark wasn't the ordinary sapphire blue as your usual fledgling. It was gold, and filled in like an adult vampyre's would be.

"Ohmygod," I said. "What the heck?"

Egypt smiled at me. "Nyx has gifted you. She has blessed you with a very unique gift. Tomorrow, once you have settled in, I will take you to meet the High Priestess."

"Nyx?" I asked. "High Priestess?"

"Nyx is the goddess of the night. We worship her here. The High Priestess is the person who leads the rituals for her."

A goddess had come to me and talked to me! I was so excited I couldn't speak. Finally, remembering what her 'gift' to me was, I asked, "What is Spirit?"

"Spirit is an element. Fledglings and vampyres can have affinities for the four elements, fire, water, wind, and earth, but nobody has had an affinity for the fifth, spirit. Not in the history of vampyres."

I was quiet as she led me into my room. "Ivory, this is your roommate, Brooke Rose. Brooke, this is your new roommate, Ivory Labastria." My roommate was absolutely gorgeous. I mean, seriously, everybody on this campus was so perfect and beautiful I had no idea how I'd fit in.

Brooke Rose had long, straight black hair and an oval face. Her eyes were dark, framed by long eyelashes. She carried a gracefulness about her that I knew I would never possess.

"Merry meet, Ivory Labastria," she said with a smile. "Merry meet, Egypt Bird." Brooke's voice was musical and clear, like the chiming of bells.

"I must go now," Egypt said to us. "Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again."

"Huh?" I said to Brooke. Thankfully, Brooke was not a snob (no matter how gorgeous she was.) "It's the greeting for vampyres and fledglings. 'Merry meet' is like 'hello', and 'merry meet and blah blah blah' is like 'see you soon'."

"Oh," I said, surveying the room. There were two beds across from each other. One, which I assumed was Brooke's, had a turquoise comforter and pearly sheets. The other one had plain white sheets and a tan blanket. On the nightstand next to Brooke's bed, there was a lamp that looked like sea foam surrounded by porcelain statues of dolphins.

"Cool mark," Brooke said. She flashed a smile at me. "Gifted by Nyx, huh?" I shrugged my shoulders nonchalantly. "Maybe."

"Just so you know, since Egypt, like, left me to explain this to you, classes go from eight pm to three am. It's like a regular school, but the whole daytime/nighttime thing is reversed."

"Oh," I said. "So, since it's, um, four pm, it's like, four am?" Brooke nodded encouragingly at me.

"Exactly!"

"So we should be sleeping?"

"Probably."

"OK. Night, Brooke. Thanks for everything."

"No problem. Night, Ivory."

I drifted into a dream about Nyx. In it, I could see Nyx clearer. She was tall and slim, with dark hair. I think she might have been Asian.

"Not to be rude, but why can't I tell what you look like?" I asked, trying to be respectful. (After all, she WAS a goddess.)

"I look different to everybody. I'm your standard of a goddess. I'm you, if you were a goddess. Does that make any sense?"

It didn't, but I said, "Um, yeah," anyways.

"I have told you before that I gifted you with Spirit. I did, but now I will give you true power. You must learn with your family and friends and mentor how to control your power. Come to me, Ivory Labastria."

Nyx was wearing a deep purple velvet dress and reclining upon a blue velvet sofa-bed. I walked towards her, feeling as light as a feather, and as if I was barely touching the floor. I sat beside her on the sofa and she sat up.

She embraced me, and I could feel her power radiating from her. She was glowing, and I could feel her transfer some light to me.

"I bless you with Spirit, Ivory Labastria," Nyx said again and again, stroking my hair for a reason I wouldn't find out until the morning (until night?).

I was exhausted when she released me. She stood, the ends of her dress sweeping the floor. "Relax, Ivory Labastria," she said with a hint of a smile on her face. "Relax and rest."

I lay back on the recliner, letting my eyes close. Nyx knelt beside me, whispering to me, giving me power beyond imagine. Again and again, she said, "I bless you, Ivory Labastria, I bless you."


	2. Chapter 2: Gifted

I woke up to the sound of the running shower. I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I felt very well rested, but was reluctant to try to interpret what my dream meant or didn't mean. I glanced out the window, and my eyes widened. I had forgotten for a second that now I was a fledgling and I would be awake at night. The clock read seven pm.

The shower turned off and Brooke came out wearing a pink tee shirt and blue jeans. Her long hair lay damp down her back and she grinned at me. I sat up, my hair falling around to my waist and she gasped. "Oh, Goddess!" she said, her eyes wide. "Your hair! What did you do?"

"My—what—Brooke—huh?" I couldn't formulate a sentence. 'What is she talking about?' I wondered. Finally, I managed to choke out, "What do you mean?"

"Your hair is white," Brooke said. "Look in the mirror! I'm going to go get Egypt." Brooke ran out of the room, and I, totally lost, wandered into the bathroom, saw my reflection, and gasped like she had done before.

My hair was a pure white, shining silver. It was to my waist and perfectly straight. I touched it, and it was as soft and beautiful as velvet. I recalled the dream, with Nyx stroking my hair, and I made fists, my hands still buried in it.

"Ivory? Can I come in?" Egypt's low, clear voice called through the door. "Brooke said that I should come to meet you as soon as I could." She knocked on the door, three sharp raps. "Are you in there, Ivory?"

"Yeah," I replied, still touching my hair. "I'm in here. Come on in."

Egypt walked in, her dark hair waving around her shoulders. I was struck by how beautiful she was again. When she caught sight of my hair, she gasped. She just stared for a second, and then she recovered her manners and said, "Merry meet, Ivory."

Smiling because I knew what she was talking about, I answered courteously, "Merry meet, Egypt." I touched my hair again, and Egypt reached out and lightly touched it as well, caressing the locks. She whispered, "Blessed by Nyx. You are blessed by Nyx, girl. Do you have any idea what caused this?"

I remembered the dream—vision? —I had about Nyx. Quickly I explained it to Egypt, and when I got to, "she said she blessed me with spirit and was making me powerful," Egypt's eyes widened. She let me finish and then told me "We must see Isis now."

"Isis?" I asked her. "Who's Isis?"

"Isis is the High Priestess at this House of Night." Egypt took me by the arm, nodded to Brooke, and led me out and downstairs. "If Nyx has truly gifted you with Spirit—well, then you are truly an extraordinary fledgling."

We got to the temple, and I gasped. It was a beautiful place. There was a statue made of black marble of Nyx, and the temple was made of the same smooth material, just with silver flecks in it. Pillars lined the front. Egypt bowed her head before the Nyx statue for a second. I did the same, remembering that the goddess had given me powers.

"Merry meet, Isis," Egypt said. A woman was standing outside, and at first I hadn't noticed her because she had fit in so well with the rest of the temple. She had caramel skin and curly brown hair. She wore a black dress. "Merry meet, Ivory Labastria."

"Merry meet, Priestess," I said respectfully. I somehow knew what to call her and that this woman was connected to Nyx and deserved respect.

"You are indeed gifted by Nyx," Isis said, her dark eyes searching me. "Tell me about the dream you had, Ivory."

"How did you know?" I sputtered. "I only told Egypt about my dream with Nyx this morning! Do vampyres know telepathy or something?"

Isis laughed. "No, but most vampyres have a kind of psychic power, and mine is pretty good. I can't read your mind, but because both you and Egypt are thinking about the dream, I can tell that it was a dream or vision and that it's about Nyx."

I quickly summarized my dream. Isis seemed puzzled, but she said, "This means Nyx has gifted you and expects great things of you. You must not neglect your religious duties to her and do not let the goddess down."

I shook my head. "No, of course not. She has gifted me—obviously—and I will fulfill whatever duties the goddess wishes of me."

"Very good." Isis surveyed me, her eyes resting on my hair and finally on my mark. "I'm glad that you will serve Nyx well. In fact, I think you might be qualified to join the Dark Daughters. Would you care to become a member?"

"The—the Dark Daughters?"

"The Dark Daughters is an organization here. Only the most gifted fledglings may join. I believe that because Nyx has obviously chosen you, you belong here," Isis explained, looking pointedly at my mark.

"Oh," I said. "I'd love to join. Really."

Isis smiled serenely. "That's amazing. I'll tell Zara to contact you. Zara is the leader of the Dark Daughters. That also means that she is in training to be High Priestess after me. Do you have a phone number she can contact you at?"

I blinked. "Um, yeah." I rattled off the numbers and she smiled. "Don't you need to write that down?" I wondered aloud.

Isis smiled at me. "No, in addition to being very intuitive and able to read feelings and body language easily, I have a very good memory."

"Oh. So, do you think I'll meet Zara soon?" I asked. It felt kind of awkward to join an exclusive club through text message.

Egypt smiled at me. "Probably. She's a friend of Brooke's, so you'll likely talk to her in the near future. You're both fourth formers, so you'll probably have some classes with her."

"But I just got here!" I protested. "I should be a first former!"

Egypt and Isis laughed (seriously, what was up with the Egyptian names?) and Egypt explained, "The youngest are third formers here. Then you go to sixth formers. Throughout that time you'll turn from fledgling to vampyre. But since Nyx blesses you, you are advanced and have been moved into the fourth former year. Brooke is also a fourth former."

I blinked, trying to digest all of the info. "Alright…" Egypt turned and looked at Isis, a question in her gaze. Isis shook her head and said, "No, you won't go to classes yet. If you don't mind, I think you should pray to Nyx and thank her for her gifts. I will do the same, but Egypt has a class."

I nodded. "No problem." There was a small statue of Nyx, about knee height, resting on a small oak table. The statue was carved from a birch-like wood and something about it spoke to me. I picked up a silver silk prayer cushion and placed it before the alter.

"Would you like to light incense to her?" Isis asked. When I nodded, she led me to a table with vases full of different kinds of incense. I took one that was a whitish grey, lit it from a burning white candle and, bowing before the alter, placed it in the glass bowl full of dark, moist soil as Isis looked on with approval.

I knelt on the mat and closed my eyes. I could smell the smoke from the incense (which I would later find out was also used as a smudge stick) wafting into my nose and I inhaled deeply as I began my prayer (mentally).

"Thank you, Goddess, for the gift you have given me. I only wish you would tell me what to do with it, but I am glad that you trust me to find my own way. I just want to make sure that I don't fail you. Thank you for my beautiful mark, but I don't get why it's filled in and not, like, hollow like the other fledglings'. I don't really understand how to use Spirit, but I guess that in time I will learn to control my power."

Suddenly I felt like I was falling through a tunnel of smoke. My eyes were open, and the smoke drifted into them and stung. I closed them to avoid the burn, and suddenly I was solidly sitting on the prayer cushion again. I opened them cautiously and found that I was in a different room.

This room had bare walls and was empty of furnishings. Before me, instead of the statue of Nyx I had been praying in front of, was the real Nyx. I bowed my head again and said, "Merry meet, Goddess." Nyx smiled and motioned for me to rise.

"Merry meet, Ivory." As I became more and more conscious the room furnished itself. On the walls paintings appeared. They were of the elements, a wall with a painting of a wave, a wall with a painting of a bonfire, a wall with a painting of a forest clearing, and a wall with a painting of leaves being whipped about in the wind.

"You forgot Spirit," I said softly. Nyx smiled at me, not unkindly. "I have no need of a painting of true Spirit, Ivory," she said to me, her calm voice washing over me like a wave. "I have Spirit, TRUE Spirit, right in front of me. You are the representation of all it is, Ivory."

"I don't think I can live up to your expectations," I murmured. "I think I'll fail you."

Nyx shook her head at me. "I have gifted you, Ivory. I believe in you. I believe in your power. You have to learn to control it. But you can do so many things with it—both good and evil. I believe you will choose good over evil. But, remember, all that is light is not good, and all that is dark is not evil. A great evil is coming, and you must defeat it."

"Me?" I asked, incredulously. "Me? How can I do that? All I have is white hair and a weird mark! Nyx, there's no way I could defeat evil alone."

"Alone," Nyx said quietly. "But you won't have to defeat it alone. There are more like you. Not with your white hair—that is a gift I have given you, and you alone. That is Spirit, and you are the only fledgling with power over it to that extent. You will BE the only fledgling, ever, who will have power over Spirit to that extent."

"But what if I DO fail?" I couldn't help but ask.

"You won't," Nyx said simply. "Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again, Ivory." The goddess disappeared, and I was left alone in the room with the paintings.

I contemplated Nyx's words for a while. Then, I could feel myself being dragged back to earth. I coughed, my eyes opening. The bark had burned out, finally, taking me away from my dream/vision place. Isis stood next to me.

"You've been out for four hours, Ivory. Nyx told me to replace the incense to give you two longer to talk, but not to replace it a second time."

"I think—I think I had some kind of vision," I said uncertainly. "I was talking to Nyx, in this room, and she was talking about Spirit and stuff. I don't know what she meant, though."

Isis looked at me, interested. "She was talking about your affinity for Spirit?" she asked. "Come, Ivory. We better do some research. You have a half hour until lunch." Isis led me into her office, and I sat in a chair, closing my eyes to remember the vision better.

I told her everything Nyx had told me, and she nodded along. "Here is your schedule for today," Isis said, handing me a paper. "I might send you to some advanced classes, but this should work out for now."

I glanced at the paper as I headed to the Dining Hall. After lunch I had Intro to Equestrian Sciences. Good. I had always liked horses. Inside the Dining Hall, I glanced around nervously. I didn't have any friends, and it felt awkward to sit by myself or ask people. As I grabbed a plate full of spaghetti with salt, no sauce, Brooke slid beside me, grabbing a bottle of water and a plate of salad.

"Merry meet, Iv," she said. "Come on. Sit with us." I followed Brooke to a table with a girl with curly dark hair and tan skin.

The girl smiled warmly at me. "Merry meet. I'm Zara Way."

I smiled back, panicking. 'Good impression, good impression. Make a good impression.' I hoped my face didn't show my panic. "Merry meet, Zara. I am Ivory Labastria."

"You're the one Egypt told me about in art, right? You have an affinity for Spirit." I nodded, suddenly aware that everybody was watching us. Great, I was the freaky girl with the white hair and the gold mark that had an affinity for an element nobody had ever had an affinity for before. Just great.

"Cool. Your mark is neat, too," she said. I smiled and choked out a thank you as a girl with thick blond hair sat next to Zara. "Merry meet. Ivory, this is Summer, Summer, this is Ivory." Summer and I exchanged "merry meets" and we set about eating.

A few more people joined us at the table: Leila Fox, a sixth former with long dark hair; Joan Gloss, a fifth former with curly red hair who seemed pretty talkative; Anna Fall, a quiet, dark skinned fifth former; Opal Lee, an Asian fourth former; Alissa Star, a Mexican fifth former who was chatting with; Ari Sun, a blond sixth former who seemed pretty into Alissa; Derek Night, a tan fifth former who threw his arm around Summer the second he got to the table; and Leo Black, a sixth former who said nothing but, "Merry meet" the whole time.

Our table was pretty crowded with the twelve of us, and it was a little claustrophobic. It was loud, too. Ari and Alissa flirted, somewhat shyly, Derek flirted outrageously with Summer and Leila, Joan and Opal chatted loudly about something I couldn't figure out, Zara and Anna talked quietly about Dark Daughters, and Brooke sat next to me and told me all about the school.

"It's a little overwhelming, isn't it?" I asked her in almost a shout.

"Yeah, I can afford emeralds!" Brooke shouted back. I shook my head at her and repeated the question and she nodded. "Yeah, but you get used to it eventually."

"I just wish it was a LITTLE quieter!" I complained. I closed my eyes for a second and it seemed like everything went quiet. My eyes flew open and I saw that it really had gotten quiet. Everybody was staring at me and talking, but nobody was making sounds. I shook my head. "No," I said. "No, I didn't—it wasn't—I have to go…now…" I ran out of the dining hall, everybody staring after me, bewildered.

I was sitting with my back to the stonewall that surrounded the school. I shuddered at what I'd done. Yes, the noise was very annoying, but that didn't mean I had the right to take away everybody's voices. "Did YOU do that?" a voice asked, seemingly coming from nowhere.

My eyes flew open and I saw Leo in front of me. "Oh," I said. "It's you. I thought…do you know if I'll get in trouble?"

Leo grinned. "For stealing everybody's voices? Nah." I winced at the way he phrased what I had done, but couldn't help grinning back.

"Cool. I just—it was too loud—it was like—" I stammered, trying to sound cool. Something about Leo was making me nervous.

"Nah, I don't care. I actually was thinking of thanking you," Leo said seriously. "I really hate how loud the cafeteria gets. It seems like nobody knows how to shut up sometimes."

"Sometimes?"

"You're right: they NEVER know how to shut up. I think they have never closed their mouths their entire lives."

I giggled. "I know what you mean. It's like, at my old school, everybody there was just talking and talking. I just wished I could shut them up."

"Like you did in there?" Leo asked, gesturing at the dining hall. I stopped laughing, remembering what I had done.

"Yeah, I guess. I never imagined I would feel so awful if I did, though." Leo didn't say anything, so I just plunged on. "I mean, I, like, violated their minds in there. What gives me the right to do that?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes, leaning into the wall, laughing without humor. I didn't notice when Leo slipped away. I opened my eyes again, and I was alone. I saw Summer and waved. She waved at me and headed towards me, her thick blond hair waving about in the wind.

"Weird what you did in there," she said. "Everybody just got their voices back. They're all talking about you."

"I don't want to talk about it," I said. If Summer had come for gossip on my powers, she'd have to go elsewhere. "Not exactly in the mood."

Summer shrugged. "Fine by me. So you lived in New York?"

"Yeah," I responded, finding the question a little weird. "Didn't you?"

Summer shook her head, laughing. "Nope. I lived in California. I got Marked two years ago, and went to the California House of Night, but they kicked me out last year. Isis 'specially requested I come here. No idea why, I was a real troublemaker there."

"Do you miss it?" I asked.

"All the time," Summer said wistfully. "I loved it in California. It's so RAINY here. It was sunny, like, all the time there. But my parents visit every other month and stuff so—" Summer broke off as I doubled over. "Iv? Iv? Oh, Goddess, are you going through the change? Hang on, Iv, I'll get Isis."

I wasn't going through the change. I was having a vision.

There was a girl walking down a street, oblivious to the Tracker that was following her. She had curly brown hair and light skin. Suddenly she sensed him and turned, and he said, "Melissa Benit! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!" She freaked. "No! I'm not a vampyre, I can't be! No!"

The blue mark on her forehead appeared and the Tracker disappeared. She went home, and a dark haired lady snapped at her without looking at her, "Mel, don't shriek walking down the street. What will the neighbors think?"

"Stephanie, I've been Marked!" the girl (Mel) said. "And DON'T call me MEL!"

"Ohmygod!" Stephanie exclaimed. "No! Get out, get out, get out!" Mel blinked and said, "But—Stephanie—"

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!" screamed Stephanie. A man walked in, and from his resemblance to 'Mel' I assumed he was her dad. "Steph, what's going on?"

"Mel has been Marked! Get out, girl!"

"Dad—" Mel stammered.

"Is it true? You've been Marked? How could you, Mel?"

"It wasn't my fault!" Mel protested. "I never asked for this!"

"Get out, get out, get out!" Stephanie continued her shrieks. "Get OUT, you stupid vampyre girl! Get out of my house!"

"No," Mel said through tears. "It's Dad's house."

"Get out." Mel's dad's voice, concerned before, was cold and uncaring. "Go to the House of Night. I don't care. Get out. Never come near our family again."

"Dad!" Mel pleaded. "Please, Dad. Would you disown your daughter, would you ban her from going home, from ever seeing her father again?"

"You are no daughter of mine." With her father's cruel words and Mel's cries in my mind, I faded into a dream of Nyx. Sigh.

"What's wrong with her parents?" I demanded. It was clear to me that Nyx had sent me the vision, and I was upset that there was nothing I could do to help the girl.

"They hate vampyres," Nyx said gently. "They are upset."

"But she's their daughter! They'll get over it and forgive her, won't they? I mean, it isn't her fault that she was Marked!"

Nyx shook her head sadly. "They will never forgive her, although this is not her fault. I'm sorry you're so upset about this. I had to show you, though, because that girl will be a part of your future. She will be your friend and your ally. You will soon learn to control who you can see visions about, and you want to keep an eye on her."

"Yes, Goddess," I said earnestly. "I just feel bad for that girl."

Nyx gave me a considering look. "Don't feel sorry for her. She, like you, is gifted by me. She is a special fledgling. She is the second golden fledgling."


	3. Chapter 3: Befriended

I told Egypt about my vision, but since I had about zero to go on, there wasn't much she could do. She told the other House of Night schools to keep an eye out for a girl named 'Mel' who had a gold mark, and they said they would, but we hadn't found her yet.

"Don't worry about it," Egypt said reassuringly. "We'll find her when she gets marked. We just don't know when your vision takes place, so we're a little lost."

Brooke soon became my best friend. She was the only one I told about my vision besides Egypt. She was shocked. "Goddess," she said. "You mean they just threw her out for getting marked? I so don't envy her."

"Yeah," I said, upset. "And you know, AFTER THAT, I talked to Nyx, and she told me that," and here I dropped my voice to a whisper, "she's LIKE me." Brooke looked puzzled and said, "You mean she has a spirit affinity too?" Obviously Brooke had forgotten my weirdo mark.

"No," I clarified. "She has a mark like mine. Nyx called us 'golden fledglings'."

Brooke gasped. "Are you, like, serious?" I nodded excitedly. "That's so awesome! I wonder who she is?"

I shook my head. "That's the thing. We don't know how far in the future it is, or where it is, or anything. For all we know, I could be seeing a girl twenty years from now."

"No," Brooke disagreed. "That can't be right. Nyx wouldn't gift two people like that, tell you she was your ally, and make you wait twenty years to meet her. The Goddess is willing you two to meet, and you will. Very soon."

I wished I had Brooke's confidence that, because Nyx gifted me, everything I did would work out.

"Come on," Brooke said, tugging me by the arm. "We have breakfast and then class. I've got Art, what about you?" I glanced at my schedule and said, dully, "Lit 101."

I followed Brooke out, only to see her get attacked by a white ball of fluff. I shrieked, stepping back. "What IS that?"

Brooke was cuddling the kitten. "She's a SHE not a THAT," she corrected me. "And her name is Pearly." I studied the kitten closely. It was small and white, and had crystal clear blue eyes.

I smiled, reaching for it. The kitten watched me warily as I stroked her head, but finally relaxed. "She's pretty cute," I said. "She doesn't look two years old or whatever."

"She's not," Brooke said, puzzled. "She's eight months. Anna told me. She has an affinity for cats. It's really cool."

"But, you came here a year ago. Your parents brought her as a birthday present for you?" I asked, very confused.

"No," Brooke said. "At the House of Night, there are just cats all over. They're sacred to Nyx or something. Then if they like you they'll adopt you. Pearly loved me the second I met her."

"Oh," I said. I was about to say something else, but something hit me in the chest, causing me to bend over and cough. The 'something' that had hit me in the chest was a kitten, I found out as I lifted the 'something' I had caught.

The kitten was tiny, so small it fit in my hand. I had a feeling it would NOT grow up to be a large cat. It was gray in color, with dark eyes. "Aww, aren't you adorable?" I asked it. "You are so cute!"

The kitten contently snuggled up against my chest, and started purring so hard it was vibrating. I giggled, petting it absentmindedly.

At breakfast, everybody fawned over the new kitten, and Anna confirmed that she had 'adopted' me. Everybody seemed to have a kitten in his or her lap, something I hadn't noticed yesterday.

"The guys aren't here," I noted to Zara. She nodded at me, and explained, "They don't usually sit here, 'cause we're usually too girly for them, but they wanted to meet the—" Zara broke off, and I could fill in the sentence for her. The fledgling with the freaky mark and the weird hair and the unknown affinity. "The new girl," she finished instead.

"So they usually aren't here?" I asked. Zara replied, "No, not unless something is happening, like you—the new girl—showing up out of who knows where with the cool hair and mark yesterday."

"Oh," I said, and went back to stroking my kitten and surveying the other's cats. Zara took it upon herself to introduce everybody's cats.

"Pearly is Brooke's, you know that already," she began. "The Siamese cat that's eating Leila's cereal is Leila's, as you may have guessed. Her name is Persia. The orange tabby that is climbing on the cereal boxes is Summer's. Her name is California. The fluffy brown cat/kitten napping on Joan's plate is Pie. The kitten on Opal's shoulder trying to climb on her head is Lucky—don't ask. The one curled up in Alissa's lap is, obviously, Alissa's, Cocoa. The one drinking Anna's leftover cereal milk is Diamond, and this is my cat Charra." I blinked, trying to take in all the cats.

"That's—that's—" I stammered. "That's a lot of cats," I finished lamely. I seized a different conversation topic. "What do you think I should name my new kitten?" I asked, trying to save myself from looking like an idiot.

"I don't know," Zara said. She reached to pet my kitty, but the cat, scared, retreated into my arms. Anna, who was sitting to my right, reached and touched my cat.

"She's so adorable," she said. Cocoa playfully batted at my cat, but my cat climbed up onto my head. I giggled, reaching to try to take the cat down, but she just jumped up and down, freaking out. Anna carefully untangled her from my hair and handed her to me.

"Class," she said. "We better go."

Alissa had the same class as me, Lit 101, so we walked to class together. She held Cocoa in her arms, and when she went "me-ow-a" I realized that MY CAT was gone. I turned around and saw she was hiding in my shadow.

"That's what I'll call you!" I exclaimed, Alissa giving me a funny look. "Roo! Your name will be Roo!"

"What?" Alissa said. "Where do you get 'Roo' from?"

"Hunger Games," I explained. "You know, Rue is explained as a shadow by Peeta, while they're training?" Alissa continued with the blank look, and I said, "Just trust me. This is the right name. I know it. See, even Roo likes it." Roo was purring contently as she clawed her way up my skirt (or tried to, she didn't have very sharp claws) and into my arms. "She's like a little motor boat."

I hesitated outside of the class, and Alissa, knowing what I was thinking, said, "Don't worry, cats are allowed in class. As if anyone could stop a cat." I was totally confused, but brought Roo inside with me anyways.

The teacher, Prof. Elizabeth, was pretty cool. She had long red hair and was medium tall. She handed me a neat, blank notebook, and told me to go grab a novels from the back. "It's October now, so you won't have to rush to catch up much. You have from now until February you'll be writing n alternate ending of two classics."

I went to the back and chose 'Les Miserables.' It had been my favorite story since I'd read it in ninth grade, two years ago. I sat down next to Alissa and Cocoa, and Roo pounced into my lap.

"What are you doing?" Alissa asked, leaning over to see my book. "Oh, cool," she added when she saw it. "I'm doing 'Little Women.' I read it in eighth grade and I guess it's the classic I like best."

I glanced around the room, nervously. It was a fifth former classroom, so everybody there was eighteen or nineteen. I felt young.

"Today we'll be brainstorming," Prof. Elizabeth said to the class. "Just loosely figure out what's going to happen. Tonight's homework is to figure out what the flow of your story will be."

I opened my notebook to the first page and wrote, "Les Miserables Modern Day Rewrite" then sat, stumped, as everybody else scribbled away.

The bell rang and I checked my schedule. Fourth/Sixth year drama, I read, and sighed in relief, a little confused. But drama… That couldn't be TOO hard, could it? I gathered my books in one arm and scooped up Roo with my free hand, and followed the rest of the class out the door.

The drama classroom was large, with at least fifty kids in it. The room was huge,

Summer and Leo were both in my drama class, and I headed over to them. The teacher, Prof. John, intercepted me. "You just missed the monologue unit, but that's not a big deal. You have nothing to make up. Here," he said, and handed me (another) blank notebook.

I sat down at the empty desk between Leo and Summer as Prof. John took his spot at the front of the room. "Our next unit is Romeo and Juliet," he announced. "Each fourth year class will audition and end up performing two versions, by two different groups of students. Today you'll just look over your parts and fill out this form. When I call your name, come up front and we'll schedule a time to do your audition. The form is your homework, hand it in when you audition."

He called up a fourth year named Lucy to pass out copies of the book, and instructed us to skim it and look for a part we were interested in. "Memorize a scene to audition with, and I'll also ask you to read something."

I glanced over the book, wondering what I should do. I discreetly checked my schedule and saw that I had a free period and then lunch. Great. I could stop by the art classroom to ask what she thought I should do.

"Ivory Labastria!" Prof. John exclaimed, and I walked up front, clutching my schedule and script. "Have a seat, Ivory," he said, looking at a schedule. "When are you available?"

I glanced at my schedule. "I have a free period after this, after the class after lunch, and just after dinner there's no classes, right?"

Prof. John nodded. "That's right. I think that would work best." I agreed and walked back to my seat. There was a sheet of paper folded into quarters sitting there, and I unfolded it. Written in untidy black scrawl was,

"Hey,

Would you mind helping me during my audition? I'm auditioning for Romeo, would you mind being my Juliet in the balcony scene?

-Leo"

I looked over at Leo, who had his head bent over the book. I thought, "Sure, why not?" and he glanced up at me, and mouthed, "Thanks. When can we meet and practice? I'm auditioning tomorrow right after breakfast." Well, there's no way I could've gotten all that from reading his lips, and there's no way that I could've said that without realizing it. Was I—the idea was so ridiculous—psychic?

Just to see, I thought, "I'm free after this and after lunch. Auditioning after dinner. Just think your answer. I want to check something." Leo gave me a confused look, and I concentrated on him, and heard, in my head, in his voice, "OK. Can we do both? What are you checking? This is getting stupid." I giggled, and said back, "I think I'm psychic. I'll meet you after class. Have to read over this book."

Of course, I didn't read the book. I tried out my new power. I concentrated on Summer and could hear her thoughts swirling around her head. "I hope I get the part…I'm so nervous…I wonder which scene I should do…" I deduced that she was auditioning for Juliet, and then shut her out. I looked at Prof. John, and his mind was full of boring Romeo and Juliet stuff, so I shut him out as well.

Finally the bell rang. I tapped Leo on the shoulder, and he gave a start, grinning when he saw me. "Come on, I know the perfect place to practice." He grabbed my hand, leading me out of the class. I glanced back at Summer, who was still absorbed in the book. "Professor John gave me permission to borrow a copy of this to practice with," he added, holding up two copies.

We soon were in a stone room, sort of like a small auditorium. I had no idea what it was for, but I saw there was a balcony for extra seating, kind of low down with a ladder attached. "Go up," Leo said, still smiling. He took out his phone and I saw him open a new text message to Brooke, Leila, Opal, and Joan, asking them to come watch. "You don't mind, do you?" he asked.

I shook my head and climbed up. He threw a copy up at me and I skimmed the lines I'd have to read. Once I saw the four girls arrive and take their seats, I retreated out of sight until I heard my cue, which was Leo, saying, "He jests at scars that never felt a wound."

I stepped forward, and watched Leo continue. I waited for him to finish his little speech, and said my two words, "Ay me!" watching as the girls' heads swiveled up to me. As Leo talked about angels, I stood, captivated in his ability. "O Romeo, Romeo!" I cried out. "Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I'll no longer be a Capulet."

I let Leo speak his line, then continued, "Tis not thy name that is my enemy: thou art thyself, though not a Montague." Blah, blah, blah. At the end of the scene I pretended my nurse was calling, and said, "Stay but a little, I will come again." Then, I departed back through the curtains and went down the stairs, hearing the clapping of the girls' in my ears.

I laugh, walking out. "I have to go," I told them. "I'll meet you after the class after lunch, okay, Leo?" He nodded and I quickly ran out, to the art classroom. There were large wooden cabinets lining the back wall, which was something I'd noticed in every room.

"Oh, Ivory, hello," Egypt said pleasantly. "I forgot to tell you before, but in your homeroom class, which you weren't here for, which is totally my fault, you have a locker." She opened one of the cabinets and gestured for me to put my books there. "How are you settling in to life here?"

"It's great," I said truthfully. "I love it here. I was just coming to ask you about what part you think I should play for Romeo and Juliet. Definitely not leads like Juliet, but I don't want too small of a part. I want a name, at least, but not too many lines or anything."

Egypt glanced at me. "When I was in House of Night doing Romeo and Juliet, only about a hundred years ago, I was Rosalyn. I was a great deal like you."

I grinned, liking the idea immediately. "Yes! Thank you, Egypt! You rock!" I hugged her. She smiled, returning the embrace, and said, "You are welcome, Ivory. But now I believe you have lunch."

I practically skipped to the dining hall, Roo trotting (and sometimes tumbling) behind me. Then I realized I had forgotten to talk to Egypt about the new 'psychic' powers it seemed I had. Oh well.

I paused in the courtyard outside, remembering what Nyx said about 'Mel.' I wondered if my psychic powers could help me find her. I walked off to the side, standing behind a tree so people wouldn't see me. I closed my eyes and thought, let me see Mel. Then it was like I was rushing through air. I closed my eyes against the wind and when I reopened them I was at a different House of Night.

I looked around and saw Mel checking in. Apparently she had just gotten there. I wondered what had taken her so long. I glanced around the room she was in, distracted. She was alone with a dark skinned woman with long, curly black hair. I walked towards the window and watched the people. I was jerked out of my reverie when she said, loudly, "I want my name to be Happy Will!" I let myself giggle freely at this, since nobody could hear me.

I zoned out in my vision and back into the present. I skipped lunch, going back to the dorm instead. Joan Gloss was sitting on Brooke's bed. I cleared my throat, and she looked up at me, saying, "Oh, hi. Ivory, right? For a few seconds I was flattered she remembered my name, then I realized everybody probably knew it, my hair and my mark and my act at lunch before.

"Yeah," I replied. Joan nodded. "So what's up? You hanging with Brooke?"

Joan flushed a little, and coughed, then quickly said, "Yeah! But, um, now she's at class. I've got a free period, though." I said I did too. "Cool," Joan repeated. "You want to go shopping? We're allowed."

Pie and Roo started playing, batting their paws at each other. I shrugged. "Sure." I reached for my bag to grab my wallet, but Joan shook her head. "I'll pay. My family's rich, but they hate vampyres. They gave me an unlimited credit card in exchange for never coming near them again."

"I'm sorry," I said, shocked. "Is that, um, common?" Joan shrugged, leading the way out of the dormitory, the two of us leaving the two kittens behind.

"The Spring Formal is in nine days," Joan said conversationally. "I already went shopping with Summer, she's my BFF and my roommate, but I love shopping for other people. We have to go dress shopping. And shoe shopping. And jewelry shopping. And accessory shopping. And—"

To interrupt her from her list, I asked her, "Are you going with anyone?"

Joan shrugged. "I don't know. Derek is probably going to ask me."

"Oh," I said, beginning to smear make-up over my mark. "Do you like Derek?"

Joan replied as we left the campus, "He's alright. Kind of a player, but pretty good-looking. I think Summer likes him, but he's just messing with her."

"What about the other girls?" was my next question. "Do they have dates?"

Joan thought for a second as she started driving. Her car was a fancy Mercedes. "Tyler and Leila, definitely. They've been dating for a month and a half. Like I said, Derek will probably ask me. Zara's going with Jon. Anna's going with…Jordan, Alissa's going with Martin, Summer's going with Eddie, Opal's going with Louis, and Brooke is going with Jake, I think."

I didn't know the names of most of the guys she was talking about. It registered instantly that she had left someone out. Trying to be nonchalant about it, I asked, "What about Leo? Who's he going with?"

Joan grinned, obviously seeing right through my act. "Nobody, yet. But of course he'll ask you. Haven't you seen him staring at you? Plus, I saw you two. Romeo and Juliet, indeed!"

I flushed. "That's just," I stammered. "We're not…whatever. Look, we're here!" Joan chuckled at my 'enthusiasm' at seeing the dress shop.

"We're all wearing gold," Joan informed me. "So you have to, too. I mean, even though guys are taking us, we're going in a group. The guys, by the way, are wearing black. Okay, so, gold gold gold…"

She tossed a gold minidress at me, ordering me to try it on. I did, reluctantly. I got out and Joan did an exaggerated cringe. "No!" And tossed a gold ballgown at me. After an hour, we found the perfect dress for me.

It was a pale gold, shimmering lightly. It was made of silk, so smooth and slippery I almost dropped it. The bodice clung to me, showing my figure nicely. It was long sleeved, too, which was perfect. The edges of the sleeves and the neckline and the bottom of the skirt had a white satin ribbon wrapped around. The bodice ended with three white ribbons braided and wrapped around, flawlessly beautiful. The skirt flared when I spun, swirling around me like a golden cloud and settling back down, reaching to my knees. The silk was cool and luxurious against my skin. The price was so high I couldn't believe I was allowed to try it on.

"Goddess," said Joan when she saw me, her eyes wide. She was sitting outside the dressing room, texting while waiting for me to finish changing. "It's perfect. Just perfect."

The lady rang it up, and my eyes widened when I saw the price, again, 249.99. Then Joan drove us to this fancy shoe place. She was careful choosing shoes for me. She looked critically at my silvery long hair, and then at my dress. She found golden shoes with inch high heels. They were sort of like sandals, but instead of being laced with leather or something, they were laced with ribbons that went all the way to my knees. The slim heels were surprisingly sturdy beneath my feet.

Joan bought them and then we went to the jewelry store. I was starting to get tired. Luckily, we quickly found a golden chain the color of my dress looped around a crystal, and matching earrings. Joan decided I should leave my wrists and ankles bare. Next was the accessories store, which, thankfully, was second on our list.

Joan got me white silken translucent tights, and a golden barrette set with tiny crystals, then we left, Joan explaining she already had the perfect accessories. Make-up was last on her list.

Joan picked out eye shadow such a pale gold it was almost white, and a blush the color of pale pink roses, and deep sunset colored lip-gloss. Dark, dark golden eyeliner and thinly applied black mascara was added.

"Perfect," Joan declared, and we headed back to the school. Then I remembered I was supposed to meet Leo. I groaned. "Oh, crap."

I thought at Leo, focusing on an image of him in my mind, "Sorry. I missed rehearsing with you. I forgot and ended up shopping for the Spring Formal."

The answer took a minute or so to come back. "That's okay, but I'm holding you accountable if I don't get it." I grinned without meaning to, and responded positively. Leo's response was, "I hope dress shopping was worth it. I don't have a date yet. Want to go together? As friends, you know?" My spirits, which had soared when he asked, crashed at his last sentence.

I quickly summarized to Joan, who said, "Just say yes. He's probably just saying that so if you reject him, he won't feel too bad."

I said yes to Leo, and then tuned out, daydreaming about the dance, when Nyx appeared in my mind. She smiled at me kindly. "I'm happy for you, Ivory," she said. "You're happy. But don't get too off guard with this dance coming up. Trouble is brewing, and you must watch for it. You have to help the other golden fledgling, though neither you nor her know her name."

"I know it," I said, confused. "She's Happy Will, right?" I choked on my laughter as I said her name, and the corners of Nyx's mouth twitched upwards as well.

"That's the name she chose for herself," the goddess explained. "But that is not her true name. She did not have me to guide her as much as I guide you. You are spirit. You must have a proper connection to your goddess. On the other hand, Happy Will, so far, is nothing but a fledgling with an odd mark."

Then Nyx faded out, leaving me to puzzle alone.


	4. Chapter 4: Reached

That night, I decided to try something out.

Nyx had hinted several times that I was powerful, and I knew that I had Spirit, but I didn't know what that meant. I knew it meant I could concentrate hard and hear people's thoughts, but I learned that it tired me out.

I thought of Happy Will as I went to sleep, not allowing the image of her frozen in my mind to escape. Long curly brown hair, brown eyes, average height, which was Happy Will. I kept the picture in my mind, solid and steady.

My refusal to let go of the picture meant my mind was awake, though my body was tired. I then imagined myself, silver hair halfway down my thighs, dark almond eyes, and light skin. I didn't want to appear in my pajamas, so I changed the image of me's clothes to a navy blue long sleeved shirt and dark jeans and black flats.

I had an image of myself, Happy Will's face, and I slowly visualized a background, following my instinct. Personally, I preferred spacious, cool areas, but something told me Happy Will preferred cozy, warm places. I tried to think of a compromise, and came up with a beautiful garden. The grass was a lovely minty green, and the sky a deep blue, the night air chill, but the flowers were the color of sunset, and I allowed a bright orange fire to burn for warmth when Happy Will came.

I drifted off, the image stuck in my mind. Then I was actually in the garden; I shivered in the cool night air, thankful for my long sleeve. In the sky was a silver moon, the same color as my hair.

Across from me was Happy Will. She was close to the fire, in a pink tee shirt and purple sweatpants and orange slippers. I giggled at what Joan and Summer would've said to her, and she looked up. "Who are you?"

Nyx had told me that Happy Will was my ally. "I'm your ally." When I saw that she wasn't satisfied with that answer, I continued with, "You can call me Ivory. Ivory Labastria."

"Am I dreaming? How did I get here? Where am I? Are you really here? Why are you dressed and I'm not? Why are we in a garden?" I held up my hand to stem her flow of questions.

"To answer what you've asked," I began, and started running through, answering each in order. "You are dreaming, but so am I. We can see each other. I brought you here. We are in a garden I created. I'm as here as you are. I'm dressed 'cause I wanted to be dressed. We're in a garden 'cause I like gardens."

Instead of answering her questions, like I had hoped, my response seemed to make her have even more. "How did you bring me here? How did you make a garden? How come I can't be dressed? Why did you get to pick where we are?"

I took a deep breath for patience. "I brought you here with my mind. I made a garden with my mind. You're not dressed because your subconscious decided not to dress you. I got to pick because I did the work of creating this." When Happy Will opened her mouth to ask more questions, I held up my hand again. "No more questions for now. We're running out of time."

Happy Will looked confused but stayed silent. I stared into the fire, suddenly uncertain. I only had about an hour. My mind couldn't keep it up long. Finally, I started, "Your name is Happy Will."

"Yeah."

"Your mother and father threw you out of the house when they found out you had been marked and were a fledgling vampyre. You're disowned now."

"Step-mother. My stepmother threw me out, and my father enforced her. He never argues with her. They both hate vampyres. Yeah. I'm no longer a Benit." Happy Will sounded sad, but there was a hint of anger beneath it that I think not even she noticed.

"You're a golden fledgling." Happy Will started, and I realized she didn't know. Nyx hadn't told Happy Will that. Only me. For a minute I felt triumph, that Nyx trusted me more than Happy Will, that I was special after all, then guilt. The flowers were beginning to fuzz. My mind was tiring. "Never mind," I said quickly. "We're running out of time. I'll explain later. I'll be back. Think of some better questions, because we only have about an hour to talk. I have an affinity for—"

Then the whole garden, plus Happy Will, plus me, disappeared into darkness. I was with Nyx again. There was something wrong with Nyx now, though. She was still flawless, she was still goddess-like, but her hair appeared browner than black, and it was tangled. She looked exhausted, sitting on the blue velvet couch with her knees drawn to her chest.

"Ivory," she said, her voice still silken and lovely but stretched thin. I noticed that Nyx was no longer slender but skinny, her purple dress hanging loose on her. "Oh, Ivory, darling."

"Nyx!" I exclaimed, rushing to her. "I just talked to Happy Will." I summarized our conversation, Nyx listening carefully, a frown on her face.

"That's good, child," she said softly. "You must practice. Do you hear me, Ivory?" Her tone became more urgent as she spoke. "You must practice your powers. Not all of them are from Spirit. Some are golden fledgling powers. You have to separate them. I have to…you and your friends. You have to save us."

"Us?" I asked, fear evident in my tone. Nyx seemed almost transparent in the light, and she winced when I spoke so loudly. I repeated, quieter, "Us?"

"Vampyres, fledglings, humans," Nyx clarified. "And anything else. Animals. Plants." I stared at her, aghast, and she said, quietly, "The world as we know it."

And then Nyx, the vampyre goddess, disappeared. The most powerful entity in the world just faded out. The room didn't. The blue velvet couch was still there. But it was empty.

"Nyx?" I called out, afraid. "Goddess, are you there?" There was no answer. I froze, not sure what to do.

I crossed the room, glancing around the silver walls and blue chaise. It was cool and almost delicate. There were two doors opposite the sofa, both the silvery white paint. One doorframe was made of silver, snakes twining up it. The other was gold, lace patterns swirling up into a crescent moon.

Between the two doors was a white silk curtain hanging from a bronze rod. I opened it, and there was a narrow cave-like construction with four dresses hanging. There was the purple silk one that came to Nyx's knees in front, and trailed down in the back like a wedding gown, a purple silk dress exactly like the gown, but that came to the knees all around, a white cotton dress, the skirt creased, and a silver top with six semi transparent silver silk skirts layered on top of each other.

I slipped the curtain closed again. The two doors on the side of it were neatly closed, perfectly fitting in the frames. I figured out that they were rooms—my room and Nyx's room. My room, obviously, would be the golden moon one, and Nyx's would be the one with the snakes. I remembered somebody telling me snakes were the vampyre goddess' sacred animal.

I reached for the golden doorknob to my room, and the door silently opened, smoothly. There was only one piece of furniture there: a bed. Silver. The color of Spirit. The color of my hair. Silver. I tentatively lay on the bed, and drifted off to sleep easily.

In the morning, I woke up, refreshed. I told Brooke that I had landed the part of a girl dancing. I had changed my mind last minute and decided I didn't want to be named.

"Cool," Brooke said. "I got Rosalyn. That's who I was trying out for, so I'm happy. I wonder if Summer got Juliet."

"Probably," I said speculatively, gathering all my hair to my shoulder and combing it, the comb breaking through knots easily. I braided it back and pinned it up. I felt a surge of jealousy when I realized that it meant she was going to be kissing Leo.

Then I remembered Summer was dating a guy called Eddie, and felt better. Then I felt guilty.

Brooke and I went to breakfast, linking arms and humming. I wasn't sure why we were in such a good mood. Zara greeted us with a wave. All seven girls were clustered around her. Brooke and I joined them, Brooke asking, "What's up?"

"Dark Daughters meeting tonight," Zara explained. "We're planning for that. Plus, we have to organize the Spring Formal. And, of course, we have to initiate Iv in."

I choked on my sip of juice (water, flavored with bits of coconuts). "You don't have to," I said, hastily. "It's okay."

"Don't be ridiculous," said Alissa dismissively. "You have to join the Dark Daughters. Isis specifically was talking to Zara about that. The High Priestess wants you to join, you'll join."

They were all smiling at me. "It's an honor," Anna said in her quiet but strong voice, looking at me as though I had won something. "There are only twelve girls in the Dark Daughters."

A group of girls passed us, then, glaring at me and Zara. "That's who you're replacing," Zara said apologetically. "I'm afraid she won't like you much."

"Haters will be haters," Opal said in her high, clear voice. "There's nothing to do about it. Even if Zara replaced you with her again, they'd still be making fun of you and whatever. Too late."

I groaned, and Summer looked at me sympathetically. "I'll walk you to class. What do you have?"

I checked my schedule. "Equestrian Studies…" Summer frowned, obviously trying to figure out how to get me there and to her own class in time.

"I've got that too," Leila said. "I can walk you there." I nodded, gratefully. "Weird how they put you in sixth former class."

I shrugged, and we started walking. "My classes are crazy. I'm in fourth year classes because I got Marked late. You're supposed to be Marked at sixteen, right? I'm seventeen. So I'm kinda third and a half former. But they're throwing me into crazy classes."

"Horseback riding with nineteen year olds," Leila said. I glanced at her. She wasn't smiling. I didn't think I had ever seen her smile. I tried to focus on her thoughts but couldn't. I caught my breath.

The teacher, Prof. Victoria, had long brown hair and dark eyes. She glanced at me, taking in my mark and my hair, then flicked across the rest of the room. "Well?" she snapped. "You know what horse you work with! Bring them to the arena! Labastria, stay behind."

I waited while the rest of the class filed out, sneaking looks at me. I did my best to stand tall. These people were only two years older than me. I couldn't let them intimidate me.

Prof. Victoria walked after them, pausing in the doorway to look at me, a clear indication I should follow written on her face. I followed her down a hall, to a row of horses that the rest of the class wasn't working with. There were six, three on each side of the corridor.

Prof. Victoria closed the door and turned to me. "Labastria. Your mentor is Egypt. I trust you have met Isis, the High Priestess." Prof. Victoria said everything in a cool, expressionless tone. "She has had a vision, sent by Nyx. There is danger ahead, and you will have to face it. She wants you to be prepared. This includes advanced riding. We've put you in the most advanced class there is. Leila Fox is a star pupil here. We think she has a gift for riding. She will be teaching you. Fox!"

Leila appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, and Prof. Victoria said, "Help Labastria choose a horse. She'll be riding one of these." Prof. Victoria gestured at the six horses, and Leila nodded, silently, but I thought I saw an impressed look flash across her face. Prof Victoria said, "You'll be teaching Labastria the ropes," and then left.

Leila looked at me. She opened a door to one of the horse's rooms. "This is Sun." The horse was golden, with long, magnificent hair. He was huge. I backed away, not really a fan of horses. "Guess not," Leila said, and continued to the next candidate.

Leila introduced each horse to me, skipping only one stall, and then got to the last stall. I crossed my fingers that we would be right for each other. After all, what if it didn't like me? What would Prof. Victoria think of me then? What would Nyx think of the fledgling she'd blessed, if her first Golden Fledgling was afraid of horses and couldn't ride? I swallowed as Leila opened the door.

Inside was the most beautiful horse I'd ever seen. She was a pure, shining white, her mane and tail almost silver. Her eyes, instead of being just a plain brown, seemed to be gold. I forgot my fear of horses and started forward. The horse went on her back legs, staring at me, evidently curious.

Leila seemed to be thinking. Apparently there was something she couldn't grasp. "Um," she said, a change from her cool and confident self. "Wait right here. Let me ask Professor Victoria something." She walked out of the stall, and the horse and I just stood there, sizing each other up, until Leila returned.

"Okay, this is your horse," Leila said. She walked forward, stroking the horse's mane, and I felt a flash of jealousy. Why didn't the horse like me? Leila noticed and I thought I saw the corners of her mouth twitch. "My horse is a couple of stalls down, I just get along with all the horses. Actually, it's her reaction to you that makes it weird. She normally ignores everyone. Her name is Empress."

Leila turned to leave, and I panicked. I was stuck in a small room with a horse that didn't like me. "Wait! Leila!" I exclaimed. "What do I do?"

Leila turned back, an eyebrow raised, and I felt stupid. "Try to gain her trust."


	5. a quick note from the author

Hey there,

I know this is against the rules and all, but I don't know how to do Author Notes at the end of a story, and I wanted to say a few things, so please don't report me.

I'm sorry I didn't update for a while, I went to a three week summer camp where I had no internet connection. I just wanted to say that I have not abandoned this story.

To clear up: this has nothing to do with the HoN series at all, it's just set in the same universe. Zoe and company will not be showing up in this story at all. Sorry if you thought she would, but that's not the story I'm telling!

Reviews are VERY helpful. Just review, please! Comments like, "This is great, keep writing" or even just "keep writing please!" make me want to continue writing because people like what I wrote, but especially critique is helpful. I'd like to just say thank you Nyx'sReincarnation because of your very helpful comment!

If you have any suggestions on what should happen (should she get together with Leo, should she get rejected by Leo, should Egypt die, should her parents die, should Happy Will and her meet in person) please comment with your ideas.

Sorry, guys, but I'm also kind of bad at developing characters quickly. All her new friends and teachers' personalities will be appearing very slowly, and some people will die before you get a sense of them. If you have an idea for how a character should be (should Derek secretly be evil, should Zara have a hidden aggressive side) please review with it. I can't promise I'll use your idea (I'm not giving Zara a hidden aggressive side, sorry, but I'm open to making Derek evil) but I might.

Also, I'm aware that Ivory Labastria may be becoming a Mary Sue. If you see this happening please TELL ME! I hate Mary Sue characters and Ivory definitely shouldn't be one! I sometimes forget to put her flaws in the story because they're so ingrained in the version of her that's in my head. But I want to fix anything that's making her appear a Mary Sue.

One last thing. I have a website with this story also on it, and pictures of all the characters on it. It's called .com and you don't have to go to it if you want, but I suggest it. This is how I, the author, am imagining all the characters.

Sorry, I said the website was the last thing, but… this is really the last thing. I swear it is! I especially would like feedback on the names, I know some of them are kind of weak. I would also like to clarify something: I'm writing this story with somebody else who's writing Happy Will's side of the story, and I DID NOT PICK HAPPY WILL'S NAME! I personally don't like it, but I didn't get to choose my writing partner's character's name. My writing partner's version of the story is not on

Please review this story!

Thank you for reading my story, and taking the time to read this note to readers. I appreciate your feedback and support, if you reviewed.

xxx

DragonRiver

(and Ivory Labastria)


	6. Chapter 5: Passed

I spent the next few classes trying to do what Leila said. I wasn't sure what exactly to do, so I spent a few free periods with Leila and Empress too. Leila told me to bring Empress gifts, and then she took me out shopping.

First was stuff to make Empress trust me. Food, apparently, was key to winning a horse's heart. Leila introduced me to every kind of apple there was, while I dully looked on. Then we went to a special apple place. Leila told me she had an affinity for horses, which was why she was good with them, and also, she said, why I should trust her to pick the stuff Empress would like. I did.

Leila decided that the Ariane apple was perfect. It was beautiful, considering it was an apple, the colors of sunset. The sales person explained that it was a French apple, usually used in desserts.

Leila mentioned we shouldn't just buy one kind, though. "Give Empress some variety and choices," she explained, "and make it seem like you're sparing no expense on her." Really, I wasn't, but it was the school's money.

So by the time we got out of the store, I had two paper bags full of apples, which I deposited in the backseat of the car, and a list of all the kinds of apple Empress might like. I put it in the car too.

Next Leila took me to a farm. She purchased carrots, onions, cilantro, lettuce, spinach, lemongrass, and scallions. We also put these in the backseat of the car. I was glad Leila had a spacious car.

Our next places included some oat place where we bought three pounds of luxury oats (whatever the difference was), a spice shop (we bought cinnamon), and a sweet shop.

"One pound of maple candy," Leila ordered, and the woman scampered to pull pieces onto the scale. "And three bags of sugar cubes."

We watched the woman heave the maple candy and sugar cubes onto the counter, giving us strange looks (although our marks were covered) and Leila added, "Oh, and two small pieces."

After we lugged the stuff back to the car, Leila handed one of the small pieces to me, and popped the other in her mouth. I took it out of it's wrapper. I'd never had one before. It was a light golden tan, and small and round. I tentatively put it in my mouth, and it was sweet, and melted quickly.

"Next we need to buy some wood stain," Leila declared, and brought me into a paint shop. The wood stain was the heaviest thing yet, although only narrowly (those oats were pretty heavy). Leila grabbed three giant cans of white wood stain, and we put them in the back as well. Leila paused after that, then checked her cell. "Crap! We have to get back now." She jumped in the driving seat, and I slid in next to her, and we drove back to the school.

"Where are we going to keep all that?" I asked, indicating the stuff in the backseat with a tilt of my head.

Leila looked in the rearview at it as though she had just noticed. I guess the apples and vegetables we can leave with Zara and me. She has a fridge, and she won't mind if we keep it there. Other stuff we can put in your room."

I nodded. Leila called Zara, who came down with Opal and Derek. They helped us heave the oats, woodstain, sugar cubes, and maple candy up into my dorm room. I hoped Brooke wouldn't mind (although I did store it on my side of the room).

Then we dragged all the vegetables and fruits to Leila and Zara's rooms. I checked my schedule. I had Art next.

We were doing landscapes in Art. I looked at my blank paper. Egypt came over. "Do you need any help, Ivory?"

"No, thanks. I'm just stuck." Egypt smiled slightly.

"Why don't you draw that garden you dreamed up?" she suggested. "The one where you were talking to Happy Will?"

I nodded, suddenly barely paying attention to Egypt. My pencil moved over the paper all on it's own, drawing grass midway up shins, with cobblestone paths and a fire in the center and flowers all around, a crescent moon in the sky.

The bell startled me. "Class dismissed," Egypt said calmly. "Homework for tonight is to make this a scene. Add yourself, or a friend, doing something."

I stayed in my seat. I had free period next, so I could draw a little longer. I sketched in a girl with a round face, curly hair, bright eyes, wearing sweatpants, a tee shirt, and slippers. Then I drew in a girl wearing long sleeves, with dark skinny jeans and black flats, her long pale hair covering her shirt.

I didn't notice Egypt behind me until she said, "You are very good at drawing. You must have a good memory." I looked back at the picture. It did seem good. I had never been good at drawing before. I said so. "Maybe it's part of Spirit," Egypt said. "Maybe you're perceptive enough to remember these things."

I shrugged. Then Egypt said, almost shyly, "I was drawing you. I thought you wouldn't mind. Would you like to see?" I nodded enthusiastically, saying, "I don't mind."

Egypt brought me up to her desk, where there was a very good sketch of me lying on the table. It looked exactly like me. Silver hair, sharp chin, dark eyes, small hands holding a pencil. And yet, the girl's hair glowed, her face seemed impossibly focused, her dark eyes intelligent, her small hands with a precision to them I did not possess.

"It's good," I said. "I love it. I wish I could draw like you."

Egypt shrugged. "I like the way you draw." Egypt smiled at me. I turned to go. I had to go talk to Leila about the next steps with Empress. "Wait, Ivory!"

"Yeah?"

"Here. I want you to have this." Egypt handed me a notebook, light blue in color, with silver swirls patterning it. "Practice your drawing for me. I don't think you have art for a few days now."

I took it from her. The swirls looked like they were moving. Hypnotized, I watched them, then dragged my eyes away. "Thanks," I said, and walked out.

I went back to my room, which was empty. I flopped onto my bed, and flipped it open to the first page. I drew Nyx, her hair swirling over down her side, wearing the long dress. It was her face I had the most problems with. How do you capture the face of a goddess?

I couldn't stop drawing after that. I sketched the room, Egypt, Isis, Brooke, Happy Will, Roo, my new friends. Finally, it was time for dinner and I went down. Roo appeared and followed me, trotting to keep up. I waited for her, then scooped her up.

I found the central table we sat at, and slipped next to Zara. "Dark Daughters meeting tonight," she reminded me. I nodded. "Is everyone here at this table a Dark Daughter?" I asked.

Zara nodded. "Yeah, and a girl named Liza. She's not here now." She was about to say more when Summer broke into a round of coughing. She turned to her. "Summer?"

Blood spurted into the napkin Summer clutched to her mouth. "Get Isis, now!" she ordered me.

I ran into the next room. Isis looked at me quizzically, a goblet of wine raised halfway to her mouth. "Ivory?" asked Egypt.

"It's Summer," I gasped. "I think she's going through the Change." Instantly Isis and Prof. Elizabeth, who I assumed was Summer's mentor, rose and were at Summer's side. Opal was next to me, backing away.

"She was my best friend," Opal murmured. "She was so nice." I remembered Summer's kindness. Some guy with red hair was there too, and Opal told me, "That's Eddie."

Everybody at our table was freaking out, scattering, except Zara. "That's Zara's power," Opal told me. "She stays calm, and confident, in every situation, to the point where it's not just a good quality. She can also sense others' powers. Isis can do those too." I watched them. I did see a certain similarity between Isis and Zara. "Isis has visions, too, though."

Summer was saying something. Isis turned to us. "Opal?" Opal's eyes were wide. "She's asking for you." Only Summer, Isis, Prof. Elizabeth, Eddie, and Opal were there by then. Zara slipped her arm around mine and led me from the hall. "There's nothing we can do for her now. We should leave them for their privacy."

The hall emptied, everybody talking quietly. I couldn't stop thinking of the sudden coughing, the blood. I glanced through the window. Summer had stopped moving. The stillness. Eddie and Opal were crying, openly, and I could feel it all the way out here, their overwhelming sadness, pulling me down into despair with them.

"You can feel what they feel," Zara said in recognition. "Your element's powers keep changing. You can feel what they feel." I nodded miserably.

Just then, a car pulled up, and out stepped Liza. She had dark skin and hair, wearing the school uniform. She was a fifth former, according to her badge. I wondered for the first time why I was a fourth former when this was my first year, and why I'd been marked at seventeen, not sixteen. Liza looked confused, and hurried over to us. "Why is everyone so upset?"

"Summer's dead," Zara said flatly. "Her body rejected the Change." Liza looked blank. She shivered. "Oh. Oh. Goddess."

That night I looked in the closet for something to wear. Finally, I pulled out a deep purple dress that came to my knees, with golden lace patterning the edges of the skirt and the long sleeves, and the small round neckline. Borrowed violet heels from Joan. Amethyst earrings.

I walked with my friends to the ceremony.

Brooke was wearing a light blue green dress, like sea foam. It was layers of sheer silk, six, I counted, to my knees, and the silk on the bodice clung to her curves. Her black hair was twisted into a bun. Light blue eye shadow and navy eye shadow and light pink lip gloss was on her face. No jewelry.

Alissa wore a yellow dress, the color of hay, and golden eye shadow, with a gold necklace with a ruby dangling from it. The dress was butterfly sleeved. Alissa looked older than she was, yet I'd never seen her look so vulnerable.

Anna was wearing maroon, the same style as Alissa's dress, and her accessories too, but with a sapphire instead of a ruby, with lavender eye shadow. She was unreadable, arms linked with Alissa.

Opal was wearing a pale pink dress, puffed sleeves, skirt just below her knees. Blush on her cheeks, light pink eyeshadow, and smudged mascara was on her face. She walked somewhat separate from us, her grief deeper, fiercer.

Leila had on a light green mini dress, with spaghetti straps. Cotton. Her minimal make up (light green eye shadow, light blush, clear lip gloss) made her even more beautiful.

Joan wore a flirty dress that still conveyed formalness and mourning. It was a minidress with no sleeves, white edged with black ribbon. Heavily applied make up. No jewelry.

Liza wore a fiery red dress. It came to her knees and flew out when she turned a corner. No make-up. No jewelry.

Zara was meeting us there. We arrived and formed a horse shoe shape. I stood between Brooke and Liza. Brooke quickly explained to me that six girls outside of the Dark Daughters were always invited by Zara, so they could experience a ceremony like it. I thought it was a wonderful idea, but the girls looked nervous, lined up across from us eight regulars. (Well, seven. I was new.)

Then the guys lined up, fifteen of them as well. They completed the other half of the circle. There was a table in the center, with a purple statue of Nyx and goblets and wine bottle resting in front of it. The four element candles surrounded it. I realized the statue was the spirit candle with a bit of a shock.

We were all silent, waiting for Zara. Then she entered. She was wearing a black skirt that came to her knees, and a black silk blouse too. Black earrings dangled from her ears. Thick eyeliner, and blush and lipstick were on her face, but no eyeshadow. Her face was cast into shadow but came into the light. She was beautiful. Her hair tumbled loose down her back, wavy and shiny.

She went to the center, and lit each candle, greeting each element. Then she picked up a goblet and poured wine into it, placing it between each candle and Nyx. Offerings. Then she lit the spirit candle, and I felt my power rise.

Zara's voice was clear when she began to speak. She named each of the twelve people who had been invited to attend that night's ceremony. Then she said, "I would like to welcome Ivory Labastria, fourth former, with an affinity for spirit, into our group." Everybody chorused, "We welcome you, Ivory Labastria." Then Zara continued, "And tonight we must also mourn our dear companion and friend, who has recently passed, Summer. We will miss and remember you, Summer."

We repeated, "We will miss and remember you, Summer."

Then we began talking about Summer, murmuring about how kind she was, how pretty she was, how generous, how lovely, how talented, how helpful, how amazing. Nobody had anything bad to say about Summer.

Zara said clearly and loudly and commandingly to us, now scattered and speaking, and we fell silent to hear her, "We will miss and remember you, Summer. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again."

I wondered briefly who that was directed towards, us Dark Daughters and Sons, or Summer.

We said back, together, "We will miss and remember you, Summer. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again."


End file.
